Tech blog Friedbeef's Tech offers this simple tip on keeping hackers at bay when you access Gmail on a public network:

Simply type an 's' in the http ID like this: https://gmail.google.com. You'll be encrypted with SSL throughout your entire e-mail session.

Okay, it's a pretty obvious tip, but fess up: Would you have thought to do it? Now, if you want outright encryption for Gmail, Gina has the scoop right here. It's also worth noting that the same method works for securing Gmail chat, as one of Friedbeef Tech's commenters posted on his own blog.